Could the South Coast's baby boomers, of which we have more than the average, provide a staffing lifeline for hospitality businesses over the summer period?
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Bega Valley HR consultant Kelly Maher of Resources for Humans thinks retirees looking for a little more social contact and cash, could help ease staff shortages.
It's a problem impacting businesses across the country but is coming into sharp focus in areas that rely heavily on tourism, such as the South Coast in the run up to the summer season.
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One of the outcomes of the summit was age and veterans pensioners would be able to earn an additional $4000 over this financial year without losing any of their pension.
In a measure designed to enable pensioners who want to work, to immediately boost the supply of labour to help meet shortages, pensioners can increase their earnings from $7800 to $11,800 this year, before their pension is reduced.
"I have a sense that we're short of about 1000 full time equivalent jobs in the Bega Valley and that could equate to up to 1500 people," Ms Maher said.
"We were in dire straits before COVID; we have somewhere around 120 people who are classified as unemployed but under employment is huge and that means we have to go shopping to find our workforce."
Enticing staff from Snowy Mountains
Another part of the shopping plan was the Merimbula Chamber of Commerce's Thaw Festival which targeted people from the Snowy Mountains to come to the coast with a view to seeing whether they might like to pick up work on the coast after the snow season finished.
President of the Merimbula Chamber of Commerce Nigel Ayling said the Thaw Festival had around 30-40 per cent of its visitors from the mountains.
"Ultimately the goal was to get people to see the place and see whether they want to do a season here," Mr Ayling said.
On Thursday, October 27 the South Coast Centre of Excellence with the support of the Bega Valley Business Forum is hosting a Tourism Talk and networking event at Merimbula RSL Club (4-5pm) where Ms Maher will be facilitating a discussion around the staffing initiatives that have come out of the Australian Jobs and Skills Summit.
Ms Maher, who is also on the Merimbula Chamber of Commerce committee, plans to "take a deep dive" into the discussions at the summit and what they could mean for businesses. Register for the talk at https://dnsss.com.au/south-coast-centre-of-excellence/
Statement from the Prime Minister's office
"Age and veterans pensioners will be able to earn an additional $4000 over this financial year without losing any of their pension due to the Federal Government providing a one-off income credit designed to give older Australians the option to work and keep more of their money.
Following the Jobs and Skills Summit in Canberra, a $4000 income credit will be added to the income banks of age pensioners from December 2022 to be used this financial year.
The temporary income bank top up will increase the amount pensioners can earn from $7800 to $11,800 this year, before their pension is reduced.
The measure is designed to enable pensioners who want to work to immediately boost the supply of labour to help meet shortages.
Pensioners will be able to do so without losing their pension, either in short stints or over the course of a year.
The $4000 temporary credit will be available until June 30, 2023, subject to the passage of legislation.
The government will also look to strengthen legislation to ensure pensioners who are working don't get unnecessarily kicked out of the social security system.
The government will expedite legislation to ensure pensioners don't have to reapply for payments for up to two years if their employment income exceeds the income limit. Currently their connection to social security is cancelled after 12 weeks of exceeding the income limit.
Pensioners will also retain access to their Pensioner Concession Card and associated benefits for two years."
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Denise Dion
Regional daily news journalist on the Far South Coast of NSW. Contact me on 0418 213 780 or at denise.dion@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Regional daily news journalist on the Far South Coast of NSW. Contact me on 0418 213 780 or at denise.dion@austcommunitymedia.com.au
